Acceptance
by Silver Bliss
Summary: Takes place in GoF. Draco and Hermione are forced together on several occasions, and find that they are drawn to each other.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Friends do not belong to me. They are the property etc. of JK Rowling, Warner Bros. whatever. Please don't hit me.  
  
"You stupid mudblood!" Draco Malfoy yelled at his lab partner, a short brown-haired girl, who was running around frantically after a small white rat. The girl, Hermione Granger, squeaked just like the rat that had disappeared under a bookshelf.  
"Professor!" She cried. "Professor McGonagall!" Flopping to the ground Hermione peered under the shelf, trying to catch sight of the rat.  
A tall, thin woman leered over her. "Miss Granger, what is going on?" she asked, annoyed.  
"She's gone and transfigured my wand into a bloody rodent," Draco screamed, ignoring the fact that the question was directed at Hermione, not him. A shriek pierced the air, and the three of them turned around.  
"Miss Brown, please get off the table," Professor McGonagall said calmly. Lavender Brown shook her head in fear. The students around her had a look of confusion on their faces, as they had no idea what had startled Lavender.  
"Don't just sit on your bloody arses. Catch that rat!" Draco ordered the class.  
Chaos immediately followed. All the students ran around, bumping into each other, following the wand/rat ("Gross! Look at its tail!" Pansy Parkinson squealed.) Professor McGonagall tried desperately to calm the class, but was knocked over by Draco who was being chased by Hermione. He had spilled ink all over her blouse and homework.  
Out of the corner of her eye Hermione spotted a furry white creature streaking across the floor. She pounced on the rat, clutching it with two hands. Her momentum carried her into a roll until she crashed into a bookshelf. The books flew out, pummeling the students. Two hit each other and exploded, scorching the hair on Vincent Crabbe's head.  
Hermione muttered the counter spell quickly, oblivious to the damage she had caused. She held up the wand in triumph, only to notice the state of the classroom.  
"Ten points from Slytherin and Gryffindor each," said a homicidal- looking Professor McGonagall. Her tight bun had partly come out and was hanging at the side of her head. The point of her hat had flopped over.  
"Professor." Hermione started, shocked that her own head of house had taken points away from her.  
"And detention for the both of you," their Professor finished. She turned to the rest of the class, in a very impatient voice, "You all are free to go. Stop by the Hospital wing if you are so inclined, to take care of any cuts or bruises that you might have."  
The class silently filtered out of the room, being careful to not upset their teacher's wrath. Draco and Hermione moved to follow, but were motioned by Professor McGonagall to stay behind.  
"The two of you will meet in my office at seven o'clock sharp this evening to discuss your detentions." They nodded in unison. "You may leave now."  
The two students hastily grabbed their bags and left the class.  
  
Hermione headed down the corridor towards the Great Hall. She hoped to catch up with her two best friends: Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Turning a corner she noticed that she was being followed.  
"Go away Malfoy," Hermione scowled, yet kept on walking.  
"Granger, give me my wand," muttered Draco.  
She turned to face him, "I think not. You called me a m." she stuttered.  
"Mudblood?" he said, trying to seem nonchalant.  
Hermione turned red. "There you go again!"  
"What's wrong?" he mocked. "Don't like me calling you that? Mudblood?" Draco spat, then gathering up more confidence he said it again, "Mudblood?"  
Bursting into tears Hermione fled down the hall, not paying any attention to where she was going.  
"Wait!" Draco said, shocked by her reaction, "just give me the damn wand first!" He watched her round a corner. "I didn't really mean it," he muttered as an after thought.  
  
"Where's Mione?" Ron asked Harry.  
Harry swallowed and replied, "I think McGonagall held her late."  
"This is quite late enough, don't you think?" Harry mumbled something incomprehensible. "You think we should swing by the Transfiguration room, perhaps? You know, say 'Hi' or something? She really could use some moral support, being stuck with Malfoy and all. I mean, I'd appreciate someone checking on me, making sure I'm still alive and all. Malfoy's a bastard. He really is, you know that. Right, Harry? Harry?"  
Harry was staring off at the Ravenclaw table, his mouth hanging open. Ron slapped him on the head.  
"Yow! What was that for?" Harry stuttered.  
"You were staring at Cho again. She's very attractive and all, nice ass, but don't we have more important issues to cover?"  
"Um.perhaps?" Harry tried to pay attention.  
Ron frowned. "The well-being of our best friend for one. Really Harry, don't you think Hermione is more important than a very attractive Fifth Year?" He was answered with silence. "Fine then, I'm going without you," Ron declared and stood up.  
"Where are you going?" Harry asked, confused.  
Sighing in frustration Ron answered, "You'll figure it out," then left the Great Hall with Harry scrambling to catch up.  
They quickly arrived at Professor McGonagall's office, and knocked on the door. No answer, only a hollow echo.  
"What the hell!" Ron fumed.  
"Well, everyone knows that McGonagall's a little deaf. Perhaps we should go in?" Harry suggested.  
The color drained from Ron's face. "But what if Malfoy is holding Hermione captive or something?"  
"Then we have to help her!"  
The two boys stood before the door, staring at the doorknob.  
"Well," Ron started, "would you like to open it?"  
"Not really."  
"Fine, I'll do it," Ron said and yanked the door open, his hand shaking slightly. He stuck his head inside and looked around. The room was empty. "No one's home, lets go."  
"What? Where could she have gone?" Harry said, utterly confused.  
"Beats me. Perhaps she's in the common room."  
  
Hermione found herself in an unfamiliar corridor. A thin layer of dust covered the scattered portraits and menacing suits of armour seemed to be guarding something. She turned around, going back the way she came, yet she seemed to be going farther and farther away from everything familiar. The chill and musty air made her shiver; she wished that she had brought her sweater with her.  
"Stupid Hermione," she muttered to herself, "gone and got yourself lost."  
She sighed and leaned against a wall. She gasped at the feel of the cold stone then slumped down onto the ground. A single tear fell down her cheek and landed on the ground. She was afraid, felt lonely and helpless. Helpless. Her one true fear. Not being able to do anything for herself, everyone taking care of her like a sacred gem, shut up in a steel case away from the sunlight. Even worse, lying defenseless in her own blood. Harry and Ron dead, and she couldn't do anything about it. Hermione curled up into a ball on the ground, resting her head on her bag, and fell into a distraught sleep.  
  
The after-dinner rush of students to their dorms always annoyed Draco. He hated being pestered by little first years trying to suck up to him and the power of his family. Not feeling very well, he decided to leave the Hall early and avoid the commotion.  
He was humming to himself, (an old folksong about a massacre that took place near Malfoy Manor hundreds of years ago) not really looking where he was going, when he tripped over something. His arms flailed, trying to stop his fall, but to no avail. Draco landed on something soft. It was cursing.  
"What the bloody hell!" shrieked a female voice from below him.  
Still adjusting to the shock of being woken up, Hermione flailed her arms, grabbing onto Draco, trying to figure out what was going on. She latched onto his forearms and froze in panic. Draco struggled to get out of her death grip.  
"Granger, stop groping me," he demanded.  
Hermione opened her eyes as she recognized Draco's voice. She gasped and shrunk away from him.  
"What?" she stuttered.  
"Let go of me."  
"I." Hermione started, then realized that Draco was sitting on top of her. She screamed and rolled out from underneath him. Quickly, she stood up, leaving her bag on the ground by her feet. Before Hermione could react Draco snatched it off the floor and began rummaging through it.  
"Give it back!" Hermione lunged at him. He twisted around, causing her to a wall.  
"Now where could my wand be?" Draco muttered to himself. He pulled out a silver bracelet. "What's this?" He placed it in his back pocket.  
"Malfoy!"  
"I'll keep it until I get my wand back."  
She reached out to get her bracelet, and Draco laughed, " Can't keep your hands off of me, eh?" Hermione blushed. "Where did you put my wand?"  
"Give me my bag back and I'll get it for you."  
"Why should I do that?"  
"Because," Hermione grinned, "it's in a secret pocket."  
"What the.take it," he thrust the bag at her.  
"First give me my bracelet."  
"Wand."  
Hermione frowned. "Why should I trust you?"  
"Because you know you want to reach into my butt pocket," Draco smirked, triumphantly at the look of disgust on Hermione's face.  
She took the wand out of her bag and lobbed it at Draco's face. He caught it. Pointing the wand at him, Hermione said coldly, "Now give me my wand."  
He hesitated; she took a step forwards. "Fine, fine, what's so special about it anyways?" Draco handed it over.  
"You wouldn't care," Hermione hastily stuffed in into her bag. She spun around to leave. "Shit," she muttered, "Malfoy, where am I?" 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Friends do not belong to me. They are the property etc. of JK Rowling, Warner Bros. whatever. Please don't hit me.  
  
Draco dropped his mouth in shock, then burst out laughing. "I could tell that you're lost. What else would a Brave Gryffindor be doing sleeping in the halls down here?"  
"What's so funny about that?" Hermione demanded.  
He stopped laughing and stared at her. "It was funny," Draco explained simply.  
Hermione stared at him. "What?"  
"You are lost," Draco started pacing slowly, smirking to himself at his control of the situation, "and I'm the only one in the whole world who knows where you are."  
She frowned, "Dumbledore."  
"Dumbledore could know," Draco cut her off, "if he wanted to, that is. But the fact is, that doesn't help you in this situation."  
Hermione kicked the stone wall in frustration, sending a sharp pain up her big toe. She cringed and looked back at Draco. "I don't like you," she announced. "I really don't like you."  
"Saying you don't like me wont make me want to help you," Draco mocked.  
She stopped to look at him, "Would you rather me say that I'm madly in love with you?"  
"Oh! That's so kind of you, Granger! Shall I tell Weasel?"  
Hermione turned red and Draco confirmed that he had reached a nerve. Suddenly he turned around and began to walk off.  
"Malfoy, wait!" Hermione said in surprise, running after him.  
He ignored her and kept walking.  
"Where are you going?" she asked, getting slightly panicked.  
"It's none of your business, is it?" He snapped.  
Hermione stopped, taken aback by Draco's sudden change of attitude. "Yes, it is. I'm haven't eaten dinner yet, and I'm hungry. If you could tell me how to get to the Great Hall from here I would be very grateful. How hard is that?"  
"Can't you find your own way back? Aren't you supposed to be brainy Granger?"  
Hermione's face turned red with anger, "Do you think I enjoy being here right now? If I knew how to find my way." She stopped as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. "Never mind, someone's coming. They'll help me." Hermione faced the footsteps as Draco quickly walked the other way.  
A scrawny brown cat walked towards Hermione. "What's that, Mrs. Norris? A student?" Argus Filch, the old caretaker said, "Up to no good, no doubt."  
"Mr. Filch?" Hermione started, "I'm.lost, and."  
"Lost? That's what they all say. You were setting off dungbombs by the Slytherin Dormitories, weren't you?" Filch accused.  
Hermione looked startled, "Me?"  
"I'm talking to you."  
"No," she stuttered, "I don't even know where it is."  
"Excuses, excuses. I'll have to take you to see Professor Snape."  
"Snape?"  
Filch walked down the hall that Draco and disappeared down earlier. "Follow me," he commanded.  
"But, Sir, I didn't do anything," Hermione protested. "I was just standing here, trying to find my way back to the Great Hall when you came. I don't even own any dungbombs!" She yelled at him.  
"Hostility, young lady, is not advisable. Now, your guiltiness is for Professor Snape to decide, not me. Come along, quickly now," Filch said, annoyed.  
Hermione, realizing that she was fighting a losing battle, reluctantly followed the caretaker and his cat down the hall. Mrs. Norris lingered by Filch's feet, rubbing against them. A tuft of fur fell out and landed on the stone floor. Hermione lifted her head high defiantly and followed the cat into Snape's office.  
"This student has been causing trouble, Professor," Filch accused and shoved Hermione. Snape's office was quite small, with a desk in one corner (at which Snape was sitting) and a small armchair in the other. There were two candles floating in the air over the desk.  
Snape looked up from his papers and glared at Hermione, "What has Miss. Granger done this time, Argus?"  
"She set off those dungbombs in your common room, Professor," Filch drawled.  
Hermione interrupted, furious, "I did not! I was just minding my own business when."  
"I don't believe you were spoken to," Snape interrupted. "Argus, you may leave us alone. I shall deal with Miss. Granger appropriately."  
Hermione shook as Filch slammed the door behind him. She looked around the office, slightly panicked at the small enclosure. Her potions professor looked pleased with himself.  
"Well, Miss. Granger, make yourself comfortable; take off your cloak, have a seat," Snape sneered at her as she reluctantly removed her cloak and sat down. "Well, I hear you were setting dungbombs off in the Slytherin Common room." Snape stood up; he was wearing tight black jeans and a black button-up silk shirt. He began speaking in a low, raspy voice, "May I be so bold to ask what you were doing there?"  
Hermione gulped and replied truthfully, "I wasn't in your common room, I was in the.um.hall." Snape had glided over to the chair and rested his hand on the back of it. Hermione continued, her voice getting quieter, "I was lost."  
"A very likely story. Miss. Granger: Top of her class, lost in her own school," Snape mused.  
"Professor," Hermione squeaked as he leaned over towards her, "I promise that I never set foot in the Slytherin Dormitories. How would I even get the password, let alone find the entrance?"  
Hermione flinched as Snape put his hand on her shoulder and said, "You're a very clever girl."  
"Professor." Hermione closed her eyes in terror as he began caressing her shoulder.  
Suddenly the door to his office was thrown open. Snape yelled, "Draco, please knock before you disturb me."  
"Sorry to bother you, Sir, it's just that Crabbe dropped a bag of dungbombs in our common room, and." Draco trailed off as he caught sight of Hermione. "Oh," he smirked, "I didn't know you were busy," and turned to leave.  
Hermione took the opportunity to stand up. "See, it was Crabbe, not me! May I leave now?"  
Snape pouted, "I need to punish you first."  
"Yes!" Hermione said frantically, "Take points! 10! 15! 20! I'll leave now."  
"Sir, could I borrow an air-freshening potion? The common room smells like something out of Goyle's ass, which is probably not far from the truth."  
Overwhelmed by the two students, Snape tossed the potion to Draco. Hermione left his office before he could stop her. Once out of the horrible confinement Hermione stood in the middle of the hall, shaking.  
Draco closed the door behind him and walked over to Hermione.  
"Snape harassing you now?" He mocked. "I guess he got tired of snogging Millicent Bulstrode and was looking for fresh meat."  
Hermione squeaked, causing Draco to snicker.  
"Oh yes," he continued, acting like he just remembered this, "and Pansy sucks up to him every now and then, when her grades are low."  
"My grades are fine," Hermione said, indignantly.  
"Yes, you spend all your free time studying. Don't you have anything better to do?"  
"Yes. I am leading a house elf rebellion," Hermione announced.  
Draco snorted, "Associating with those of your own class now?" Hermione scowled as he continued, "I bet they just fawn over you, 'Help save us from naughty, perverted wizards who make us run around in nothing but tea cozies," he said in a high, squeaky voice as he dropped to his knees and starting tugging on Hermione's robes. This was too much for her. She kicked him with all her strength in the stomach. Draco doubled over, dropped his head.  
Hermione gasped at her sudden act of violence. She turned around and made to run away, but she startled by a strange noise. Draco was laughing.  
"What?" She stuttered.  
Draco ignored her, but kept chuckling to himself. Quite annoyed, Hermione fell to her knees in front of him, and stared at his bowed head.  
"What is so funny?" she demanded.  
He looked up at her. "You're so emotional."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You get so worked up about everything. It's amusing. It's so easy to take advantage of you."  
Hermione shuddered and stood up. Draco remained on the floor, cross- legged, grinning.  
"I hate you! You're a bloody inconsiderate bastard who only cares about himself and his money! You enjoy torturing innocent creatures and blaming everyone else for your problems," Hermione spat at him, then added, "And you'd speed stop signs too, if you could drive."  
"That's some stupid muggle thing, isn't it?" Draco asked, apparently unmoved.  
"Can't you just make things easier and show me the way out of here?" She begged, on the verge of tears.  
"What would I get out of it?"  
"Anything you want," Hermione said, then noticed the look on Draco's face and added, "Well, almost anything."  
"Perhaps this week's password to the Gryffindor common room would do it?" Draco mused.  
"Why would you want that?"  
"Why should I tell you?"  
"Because I don't trust you in my dormitory."  
"Why not?"  
"Because you're a perverted teenaged guy," Hermione accused.  
"Thanks. I try my hardest," Draco said and smirked.  
"You're so bloody frustrating!" Hermione cried. "I can find my way on my own. How hard can it be?" she turned around and walked away from him, muttered to herself, "maybe if I go up far enough." then promptly ran into Professor Moody.  
  
Harry and Ron trotted joyously down the corridor. They skidded to a halt before nearly colliding with Ron's twin brothers immerging from the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
"We know you two are very excited to see us," George said, "but please try to not run us down."  
"Sorry." Harry greeted them. "Have you seen Hermione lately?"  
Fred and George shook their heads. "Not that I can think of," Fred said absentmindedly. "We're dreadfully sorry we can't stay and chat."  
"But we really must be off now," George added.  
The two scampered off, and Fred waved over his shoulder, "Cheers!"  
Harry looked at Ron and mused, "I wonder what they are up to."  
They walked into their common room and looked around. Colin Creevey was attempting to teach his brother Dennis how to play Slapjack with Exploding Snap cards, and from the singed rug and small cloud of smoke lingering above their heads it was obvious that it wasn't going all that well. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were sitting on a couch giggling with each other as they did their Divination Homework. Yet their was no sign of Hermione.  
Puzzled, Ron asked his sister Ginny if she could run up to her dorm and look for Hermione. Ginny grumbled, but obliged reluctantly. She came back down to report the absence of Hermione.  
"She's probably in the library," Ginny suggested. "There's no reason to bother her if she's studying.  
Harry and Ron grumbled, but decided to wait and look for her after a game (or two) of Wizard's Chess. 


End file.
